


he said to 'be cool', but i don't know how yet

by artemidos



Category: From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series
Genre: Alternate Universe, Anxiety Issues, Blow Jobs, Cheating, Dry Humping, F/M, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Recreational Drug Use, i went hard on the tags this one is a little much, inappropriate relationships, the richiekate is only really small tbh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-23
Updated: 2016-11-23
Packaged: 2018-09-01 15:28:02
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8629396
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artemidos/pseuds/artemidos
Summary: Bare feet glued to the tiled floors that led into the room, she’d stood and stared for a good minute. His arms bulged with muscle and he wasn’t wearing a shirt. In fact she couldn’t see beyond the table to know if he was wearing anything at all. Was this the type of guy her mother always brought home? Men with tattoos curling up their arms who sat in her kitchen wearing next to nothing?





	

**Author's Note:**

> this started with me trying to avoid working on something else and then became... whatever it is you're about to read. warning for inappropriate relationships between a teenager and an older man obviously. i played with making this darker and couldn't bring myself to do it, but here it is.

**OCTOBER**

Kate’s mother brought home men a lot.

It’d been only a year since her parents split up and her father’s alcohol addiction granted Jennifer Fuller (wait… _Baker_ , it was Jennifer Baker now) sole custody of her two children. This meant a world of stress raising two teenagers alone which she medicated with revolving door to her bedroom.

Most of the men never made it to the next morning, but Kate still heard them with her pillow pressed into her face and music blasting through her headphones.

The divorce and all events subsequent had been exhausting, leaving both her and Scott attending regular sessions with their school councillor after the dip in their grades and far too many sick days. For a while it was the two of them sticking together, – solidarity and all that bullshit you told yourself when your world as falling apart – but the idealistic hope that Kate could keep any of her familial relationships faded. Scott started hanging out with the stoners and spent even less time at home than she did. The house was always empty and even when it was full, it still felt empty. She never saw anyone, in the mornings especially.

That’s why it was so surprising when there was someone in her kitchen.

Not just anyone. A man, older than her but younger than her mother, with a five o’clock shadow and pretty eyes.

Bare feet glued to the tiled floors that led into the room, she’d stood and stared for a good minute. His arms bulged with muscle and he wasn’t wearing a shirt. In fact she couldn’t see beyond the table to know if he was wearing anything at all. Was this the type of guy her mother always brought home? Men with tattoos curling up their arms who sat in her kitchen wearing next to nothing?

Kate’s cheeks burned pink and she bumped into the doorway, alerting him to her presence there. He spoke before she could apologise. “Sorry for hijacking your kitchen, Jen said she had work.”

She nodded slowly, feeling embarrassed in her pastel blue dressing gown and Tweety-Bird pyjama dress. She felt like a little kid in front of him. “That’s okay.”

“You’re the daughter, Kate?” He clarified, his eyes not going anywhere else, although she still pulled the dressing gown tighter around her body, walking towards the fridge. She hated to feel so awkward, but she barely knew what to do around boys her own age.

“Mm hm.” She winced. “I don’t know your name, sorry.”

Kate practically stuck her head in the fridge to escape, forgetting what exactly she was looking for. She grabbed a bottle of water so she wouldn’t look stupid standing there for too long and coming back with nothing at all. When she turned around, he was standing _right there_ next to her and one, confirming that he really wasn’t naked – although his boxers still didn’t feel appropriate for her to be seeing and two, introducing himself with a hand outstretched.

“I’m Seth.”

She stared up at him for a second before she took it, placing the bottle in her other hand. Their hands moved up and down, her palm no longer cold because his was so warm. When she realised she’d held on too long she pulled it back, wiping it against her side and avoiding his gaze. 

“I have to get ready for school.” She announced and turned around, not looking back even for a second as she scurried into her bedroom. It was probably just anxiety or the invasion of space that was making her so antsy.

Kate didn’t come out of her room until she absolutely had to so she could leave the house, but by then he was gone.

 

**NOVEMBER**

It had been almost a whole month of Kate convincing herself that her mother’s relationship with Seth wouldn’t last, but he was at their house more and more. He dressed in three piece suits more than he walked around in boxers, but every time she saw him she was just reminded of what was underneath all the layers.

It was a stupid crush that she’d get over, but it would be easier if he weren’t so nice to her. He was too charming, she could see why her mother liked him so much. Even when Kate tried to resist even smiling at him, he managed to break her resolve far too easily. Sometimes she thought she caught him watching her, but she could never hold his gaze. It all only left her internally worrying whether she was completely transparent and if he was messing with her.

Most days she drove herself to school, but one morning partway through November while she was spreading butter onto her toast he offered to do it. She declined and ate in total silence.

Later that night in a hushed conversation between their doorways, Kate had told Scott and he’d made a face. “He never offered _me_ a ride.”

“I don’t think it means anything.”

“What a dirtbag.” Her brother stormed off.

She’d stared at her ceiling for an hour before she got to sleep. The ceiling fan spun slowly although she’d turned it off and her blanket was up to her ears.

After that, things began to change.

He didn’t ask her again. He stopped trying to make her laugh as much.

Her chest stopped feeling so tight when she saw him. She forced herself to stop searching for him in her peripheral vision. She stopped staring full stop. Instead, she took note of how happy her mother was with her cheek pressed to his neck, laughing as he held her elbow. She thought about all the fights her parents had in hushed tones and the crying. This was better. This was good.

 

**DECEMBER**

Kate didn’t buy him a Christmas present, but Seth still handed her a little box as she and Scott prepared to go visit their dad. Inside was a little silver heart locket and she pushed it inside her pocket like something she had to hide. Scott had gotten a present too, but it still made her heart jump to look at it.

She didn’t wear it, but she kept checking her pocket to make sure it was still there.

 

**JANUARY**

They started getting along, but Kate only felt more conflicted about her (stupid) crush. Sometimes she didn’t care at all and sometimes she felt such a yearning that it made even sitting at the dinner table difficult.

Seth slid his beer over to her discreetly as her mother flitted around their New Year’s party talking to guests. Scott was god knows where, probably setting off fireworks with his friends or exploding tennis balls using the stuff off sparklers.

On the other side of the table from the two of them was Richie, Seth’s slightly younger brother who had asked Seth how old she was five minutes into arriving at their party. She hadn’t heard the rest of the conversation, but now they were both looking at her and the beer. Her fingers enclosed around it hesitantly, trying to be discreet as she pulled it forward. She was underage, but her mother was also adamant that she shouldn’t drink, especially considering what had happened with her father. He was sober now... But they could never be sure how long that would last. _It’s a lifelong battle, Katie_ , he had said to her, _I’m just sorry you have to see the hard parts_.

Still, she’d brought the bottle to her lips and leaned back to taste it, but it was just kind of warm and gross. Wiping the back of her hand over her mouth after accidentally spitting most of it back in, she frowned. “This is disgusting.”

Kate watched them both laugh heartily at her reaction, toying with the locket around her neck. It felt like it was giving her a rash, but it was probably just because she was flushed. It was cold out but she’d hesitated to put on her jacket because she wanted the necklace to be visible. After her internal battle, she was finally wearing it – that is, after Seth asked her about it while he poured ice into the buckets full of drinks.

“I’ll get you something sweeter.” Richie told her, standing up and failing to hide his continued amusement.

“You two just like messin’ with me.” She said quietly, leaning into her palm as she turned towards Seth.

He took a swig of his beer and shook his head. “Nah, kid, it’s just ‘cause we like you.”

“Funny way of showing it.”

The muttered response faded into quiet as Richie returned with a cup of what looked like pink lemonade. It tasted like pink lemonade too, but she knew there was some sort of alcohol in it. She didn’t ask, just nodded when he asked if she liked it.

Kate stayed there by their sides as the topics became more and more inappropriate, her hair pushed over to one side as Seth and Richie tried to recall a story about a woman in Las Vegas.

“Nah, this was the one that I swear to God, tasted like vanilla frosting.” Seth said, holding his third beer between his fingers with his other arm against her chair. It was like he didn’t even realise it was there. She wished she could be that level of unaware about everything she did. She wished she didn’t have to think every move and every word through.

“What are you even talking about?” She piped up, bored with sitting there while they spoke around the actual topic.

“You really want us to taint your innocence?” Seth questioned, leaning a little closer to her. She stayed absolutely still.

“I’m a teenager, not a pre-schooler.”

“He was talking about pussy, Kate.” Richie interrupted.

Her eyebrows shot up but she pressed her lips firmly together. _Don’t say anything stupid_. “Oh.”

They laughed again and Kate rolled her eyes.

Eventually she went back into the house and sat in her bedroom, stretching out her limbs. Her dress fell down as she put her legs up in the air and she tried to think of anything but what had happened outside or the way Seth was so adamant about her necklace. She forced herself not to think of the way Seth and Richie both kind of stared at her in a way she didn’t think she’d been stared at before.

There was a knock at the door and her legs fell. She shot up as soon as she recognised the tall figure standing in her doorway. Richie slid into her room and left the door mostly closed but not shut.

He apologised for what had happened at the table although she had thought her reaction was so well hidden. And then he was looking at the things in her room and making idle comments about how cute it was. She scrunched up her face and got embarrassed. And then he called her cute.

His fingers pushed hair out of her face and maybe it was the one drink she’d had but she’d leaned into his touch, her breath hitching quietly.

Richie had leaned down and Kate had only kissed two other people but this was the best one by far because his lips were soft and he was cupping her cheek. His other hand moved to her waist, bringing her closer and then dipping below the fabric of her dress, her head felt warm. Maybe she was a little turned on, too. If she wanted to stop him, she would have.

He pushed her down into the bed and her legs parted for him to get in between, pressing her into the mattress. One of his hands reached for her breast and she had let out an accidental moan that only spurred him on.

Eventually she was aware that the countdown was going on outside.

5… 4... 3… 2…

_Happy New Year_ , she was kissing Richard Gecko who she definitely should not be kissing.

It only lasted a little while longer. It felt like she was underwater while everyone above ground cheered and yelled and music blasted but she couldn’t hear anything.  

Then came the voice pulling her out of it. “Hands off the teen, Richard.”

Kate would have preferred to have blacked out than to open her eyes, but Richie pulled away and she _had_ to look, had to at least confirm that it was Seth in the doorway. She didn’t search his expression, she just looked at her hands in her lap.

" _Jealous_ , brother?"

They both left when she insisted that they get out.

 

**FEBRUARY**

Kyle sent her a rose and she’d found a way to clip it into her hair before she left the school. Seth’s car was waiting in the parking lot. He’d asked her for advice on what to get for her mother far too late, but she still agreed to try and find something. They had argued earlier in the week and it made her feel sick, so she figured this would be his way of fixing it.

Their car conversation was brief:

“Someone get you that?”

“Kyle.”

“He your boyfriend?”

“No.”

“He gonna be your boyfriend?”

“I don’t know.”

 

**MARCH**

It still shocked Kate when her mother announced that Seth would be moving in with them. It was instinct to complain, to point out the lack of space but he had already been practically living there for a while. He slept in her mother’s bed and picked up milk if they needed it, although that was the extent of how domestic he could be. Despite living with a family, she doubted that would make that much of a difference to his personality. Seth would still be an asshole no matter what changed, but his soft spot for her and her mother had changed things a little. Although, he wasn’t about to be her dad any time soon… She hoped. The thought made her feel conflicted to the point of yelling into her pillow.

Most Fridays he dropped off and picked up Kate from school to buy her ice cream and then speed down empty roads. She had been telling herself that it was normal. He was trying to bond with her.

With Scott, it was much harder. He wasn’t around much and if he was, he was more likely to start an argument.

Towards the end of March she walked into the living room while her mother was at work to find the two of them smoking a joint. Seth had noticed her and then motioned her over towards the ugly second-hand suede couch they’d bought after they moved in. “Take a seat, kid.”

“This is good.” Scott said, nodding his head slowly as he exhaled smoke and then started to stare up at the ceiling, sprawled out on the arm chair.

“What did I tell you?” Seth smirked and turned to Kate who looked worried beside him.  

She asked what they were doing but was given no explanation, he just handed her the joint. Kate tried to give it back but he took her hand and moved it towards her mouth. He gave up when she pouted but she kept it in her hand.  

Curiosity slowly got the better of her.  She let him hold it to her mouth and give instruction. At first there was mostly sputtering but she got the hang of it. Scott stalked off to get something out of the fridge while Kate stared forward, big green eyes bugging out as she slumped with her side pressed into the man beside her.

The room felt slow and quiet around her and she felt too warm beside him. Her thighs were practically sticking together, she thought. Turning her head, she pressed her forehead into his skin but it only made her warmer. Her lips brushed over his tattoo and she stopped to look up at him like a deer in headlights. He stared back down at her quietly, watching with no concern in his expression, just wonder. She did it again, her lips just barely moving up a flame before he got up and walked away.

 

**APRIL**

For a week that bled into April, Seth was away on ‘business’. Kate wasn’t sure what exactly his business was, but despite his suit, she didn’t think he had an office job.

It was the same week that Kyle asked her on a date and she finally said yes because being on a date with Kyle would be normal and it would allow her to forget that she’d gotten high and far too affectionate with her mother’s boyfriend.

In a pink baby doll dress, she realised partway into dinner that pretending to like him was even harder when no one else was around. She had nothing to say and he didn’t really care about what she thought or felt. He spent at least twenty minutes trying to get her to return to church, even in her visible discomfort on the topic.

He drove her home in his mother’s minivan that still had two children’s car seats for his younger siblings and kissed her at the door. When she stepped inside, Seth was standing there with his arms crossed over his chest and back from wherever he had been. The sleeves of his dress shirt were rolled up and the veins in his arms were more prominent, like he was flexing. He didn’t look mad… just protective. It made her want to leave the room as soon as possible but he was blocking the way to the hall.

“I thought he wasn’t your boyfriend.” Seth said, looking past her and through the screen door. She could hear Kyle’s car reversing out of the driveway.

“He’s not my boyfriend, we just went on a date. Why do you care, anyway?” She sounded like such a whiny teenager and _oh God_ she hated herself for it.

“Who said I cared? I'm not allowed to ask questions?”

“I don’t think we’re gonna go on another date.” She admitted, wrapping her arms around her waist. He just stood there tall with his eyes locked on her, trying to read her mind or something. Suddenly she felt so tired, so exhausted by feeling so much so constantly.

“Why not?”

“I don’t know. I’m tired.”

“No one else is home.” The way he said it was like it meant something else.

“And?” He held his arm out to her and she stepped forward hesitantly.

It was a surreal feeling, to be scooped up into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist tightly as she pressed her face into his shoulder. She really was so tired, but his warmth made it worse. She didn’t want to open her eyes as she neared the bedroom and he removed one hand from her to pull her blankets back. She didn’t want to let go of him as he began to put her down. He pulled her shoes off and she stared up at him without asking if he would stay because she knew he wouldn’t.

 

**MAY**

Their first kiss felt accidental. Another day where they’re the only two ones inside and Kate kept wondering if he even had a job at that point since it felt like he was always there – after school, on weekends. She’d been pretending to stare into the fridge (again) and then he’d been right there beside her (again) and in trying to dodge him he’d ended up kissing her.

He came into her room later and they decided they would forget about it before his hand was on her knee and he was kissing her again.

Morally, this was the worst thing Kate had ever done.

There was no doubt about that. It was despicable and yet somehow she liked it anyway. It felt good to do something so awful. It felt good to let the shame wash away with open mouth kisses to her neck. He marked her and she pushed all the realistic thoughts from her mind and just focused on the moment.

(Her mother and Seth weren’t speaking as much. Every time she smiled at them it just made her feel sick)

Even when her anxiety was at its worst and she was ready to think about it – really think about it – it all ended with simple touch. And then it wasn’t simple, it was imperfect with her in his lap while he sat in the driver’s seat. Her legs on either side of his thigh seeking friction over her underwear as she kissed him. She hadn’t done it before, not _on_ someone else, but she didn’t want to stop.

He always whispered terrible things to her, pushing her further into the dark:

“Fuck, that’s a good girl. I can feel how fucking wet you are right now, baby. Are you gonna get off right here, Kate? In the car with everyone else inside?”

She did.

She did it with strained whimpers and her fingers digging into his shoulder and her knee pressed against his bulge, which was so much more noticeable once she came back down.

Seth taught her things that boys in her high school hadn’t. He wasn’t hesitant with his instruction and she followed to the point where holding his cock in her hand didn’t feel awkward or unnatural. Sliding her tongue up his length became fun, watching what made him squirm or how much she could take if she tried a little harder was all part of the awful, terrible enjoyment she got out of it. He guided her with little remorse, doing things like telling her not to wear panties to the dinner table but not letting her cum until they had alone time. 

(She caught him sleeping on the couch towards the end of the month, but she didn't ask about it.)

On some level she knew that it wasn’t about the danger for either of them, really. There was something beyond attraction there, but that was easier to explain. It was easier to just say that she just wanted to fuck her mother’s boyfriend. Like in a movie, or something. She just wanted attention. She was selfish and troubled and the daughter of a broken marriage.

 

**JUNE**

Five things happened in June:

  1. Kate finished high school with no idea what she was going to do next.
  2. Seth started sneaking into her bedroom at night while she was unable to sleep anyway. He’d peel all her clothes off and work her up until he was sliding inside her with a hand over her mouth.
  3. Scott walked in on them and she'd had a panic attack.
  4. Seth moved out and broke up with her mother in a horrific fight where she implied he had a thing for Kate but nothing more and that’s how she knew Scott hadn’t said anything.
  5. Kate turned nineteen and Seth didn’t call.



 

**JULY**

Maybe Kate was just as bad as her parents.

Seth and Richie came around in a Mercury Cougar while she tried to cut the grass. Scott was supposed to do it but he hadn’t been home in two days and she was tired of waiting. Her mother was out doing God knows what. She’d only been getting worse. All the care and effort she’d put into hiding the men that came in and out of their house disappeared after things with Seth fell apart. _Everything_ had fallen apart. Her daddy had offered her his home but she’d heard about him relapsing and she figured she’d rather be alone.

Kate stopped moving as a wolf whistle sounded and she found that didn’t feel so embarrassed anymore when they stared. She just leaned against the lawnmower, eyes narrowed and blades of grass stuck to her calves.

“I thought you left town.” She said, only the smallest hint of sadness. She missed him. He was an asshole.

She _still_ missed him.

“You wanna go get some ice cream, kid?”

The right thing to do would be to say no. It would be to tell him to stop staring at her like he knew exactly what she looked like under her clothes. It would be to tell him and his brother to fuck off because he’d broken her mother’s heart and maybe hers a little as well but then Kate thought…

Who cares?


End file.
